Harry getting Killed; Books as "Childrens' Books"

[inyron at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15511

> meckelburg at f... wrote:
> 
> > Another reason is, that, even if we enjoy the canon so much as
> > adults, the books are "children's books". JKR wants to show 
children
> > the fight between good and evil and good has to win. To sacrifice
> > Harry on this battle would be very disturbing to the 9 to 13year 
old
> > kids, who are the avarage-aged Readers.
> 
> The books are *not* "children's books"!  JKR has said repeatedly 
that
> she had no target audience; the publishers *marketed* them to 9-12 
yr
> olds because Harry was 11 in Book 1.  Harry will be 17/18 in the 
last
> book.  Is that really a "childrens' book" if your main characters 
are
> all adults?  Is GoF really a childrens' book appropriate for all 9 
year
> olds?
> 
> Heidi posted a demographic study result a few weeks ago that 
indicates
> that a majority of the HP books sold in 2000 were sold to people 
over
> the age of 14.
> 
> I posted two very detailed messages in this regard this past 
weekend --
> See Message #15132 and Message #15201.
> 
> Penny
> 


I agree that the books are not children's books, and JKR said she 
wrote them for herself- BUT.

>From a Barnes&Noble.com chat, OCTOBER 20, 2000
 

Question: Are you going to get more mature themes as your books age, 
or are you going to keep it geared toward younger kids?

JKR: I think an eight- or nine-year-old will be able to read all 
seven books. That's my intention. However, Harry is growing up, so 
obviously he will face certain issues an eight-year-old won't. I 
don't think, however, that that will be uninteresting for an eight-
year-old. 


Was GoF a children's book? No.  Was it appropriate for all nine year 
olds?  THat's debateable, but JKR though it was.  JKR was also a 
little worried on how the children would handle Cedric's death.  I 
think Mecki's point that sacrificing Harry would be too much for nine 
year olds doesn't bear dismissal on these grounds.

inyron

who likes chat transcripts, and is still looking for the one where 
JKR said Mrs. and Arabella Figg are the same person, if someone 
doesn't mind helping her.